Starch-cleaning machine



Aprilfzl, 1925. 1,534,416

F. M. SCHULER S TARCH CLEAN ING MACHI NE Filed Der:e 31.- 1923 2Sheets-Sheet l u: b "u D D; r\ SMI-l l o wwf; off/115)..

lll

fait

Patented "i El, i925@ :F.ali liti. ECH'LER, 0F WXNONA, MINNESOTA..

STARCH-CLEANNG MASI-HNE.

Application tiled December 31, 1923. Serial No. 683,824.

To aZ 'io/2,0m t may concern:

Be it known that i, FRANK M. Scannen, a citizen of the United States,residing at ldlinona, in the county of W'inona and State of Minnesota,have invented certain nenT and useful ln'iprovements in Starch-CleaningMachines; and i do herebyv declare the following to he a full, ciear,and enact de soription of the invention, such as vvill enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the same.

rthis invention relates to a machine for cleaning starch or forseparating the starch from candy and then cleaning the starch. A.greatdeal of candy is now made by machines in which the starch is usedto form molds in Which the candy material is deposited. The starch isusually contained in a mold board or frame and passes through themachine therein. After the candy has been deposited in the starch andhardened, the candy and starch has heretofore been dumped into amaehineor portionA of the candy machine Where the candy and starch areseparated, the starch being again used to fill the boards or `moldframes. Such machines are commonly callec Starch liiohs lt has been theprior practice'to continue to use such starch until it became so filledwith lumps and foreign material that its use was iinpracticable. rThestarch was then taken from the machine and clean-cd by a sievingprocessafter Which it Awas retinined to the candy machine again to be used fora considerable period.v

lt is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus inwhich the starch is cleaned continuously and returned to the machine sothat a clean supply of starch is always maintained in the candy machine.This machine is, in practice, provided with an automatic means forpassing the mold boards or frames thii'ongh the starch and filling thesame so that they may be progressed through the machine and have thecandy disposed therein.

lt is also an object of this invention to provide a device arranged tobe disposed adjiccnt the candy making machine into which device, thecandy and starch may be dumped from the mold boards, which device willseparate the candy and starch, returning the candy to the usual place inthe candy machine and cleaning the starch and returning the saine to thestarch compartment in the standard machine.

ltis a. further object of the invention .to provide such a' devicecomprising a casing having a sieve bottom with a chute thereheneath,which casing has mounted therein a plurality of superposed screens ofdifferent mesh arranged for longitudinal movement in said casing,together with means for reciprocating and vibrating said casing.

lt is still another object of the invention to provide such a device andcasing as above described, which casing has superposed thereon a secondcasing` having a sieve bottom with a discharge chute at one end disposedabove said sieve bottom and which second casing also has a plurality ofsieves mounted therein for longitudinal movement relative thereto andWhich casing, preferably is provided with means for raising the samerelative to the first mentioned casing at the endV opposite itsdischarge chute. i

It is still another object of the invention to provide such a device asdescribed With means for reciprocating the same from the candy machineand means for supporting and vibrating the same.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in Which like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the different views, andl in Which,

Fig. l. is a vietv in side elevation of the device, certain parts beingbroken away and others shown in vertical section, a portion of the candymachine also being shown;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of i, as indicated bythe arroivs; and

Fig. 3 is a plan vienT of the device and portions of the candy machineadjacent the same, this view being shown on a reduced scale.

Referring to the drawings, one end of a standard candy making machinedesignated generally as A is illnstrated which is cominercially known asthe Simplex Starch luck, which machine is adapted to separate the candyfrom the starch, to rcceive the empty mold boards and again lill themwith starch, and progress the same to the candy depositor.

The only parts of said machine that it will be here necessary toconsider are the crank shaft l having,l thereon the' driving pulley Q,the vibrating frame 3 which carries a screen 4, which frame is supportedby links 5 pivoted thereto, and the stationary supports 6 on the frameoi said machine. The traine 3 is reciprocated by a pitman i connected tothe crank shaft l. rllhe machine is adapted to receive the empty moldboards on tracks 9 shown in Fig. 3, the boards being` carried along saidtracks by a conveyor (not shown) operated by the sprockets ln theordinary use ot this machine, the andy and starch from tie mold boardsis dumped onto the screen slthrough hopper 8, the starch passingtherethrough and the candy being` traversed alongv said screen tocertain cleaning' means. The operator then places the empty starch boardin the machine on' the tracks 9 and the saine are cai'- ried along`again to be lilled. y

ln accordance with the present invention. supports l() are providedwhich may be of any suitable :traine structure which. in the embodimentof the invention illustrated, are shown as trapezcoidal portions ot atraine secured to the tloor and carrying` at their top portions platebracliets ll. The plate brackets ll have upper surte ces ll.2v oit wavedor corrugated contour. Resting' upon the surfaces lla. and supported tiercby are rollers Al2 secured to a easing;v lilhile the rollers mayA besupported in any suitable manner trom said casii j, in the embodimentorn the invention illustrated, the saine are shown as carried on shortshafts lf3 supported in flanged brackets .lil secured to the sides ofcasing` l5. The casing l5, as illustrated, is vsubstantially rectangularin form and is provided with a sieve bottom 16, which sieve will bc ofcomparatively large mesh. lVhile different sizes oit mesh may be used.in practice, it has been found that a halt inch mesh is ver)Y suitable.A floor 1T extends beneath the sieve l6 and inclines downwardly relativethereto. thus termine` a chute having a discharge en d or spout 17 whichisextended into the end ot the in chine A below the sieve 4: therein.The casing` l5 has therein adjacent its sides. rectangular pieces i3, tothe inner sides ot which are secured angle members l!) which extendlongitudinally thereof and which support a plurality ot screens orscreen iframes 20. In the embodiment ot the invention illustrated, twoot these .trames are shown and the aggregate length ot the saineis-somewhat Aless Athan the length oit the inside of the casingY l5 sothat said screensI ca slide longitudinally in the casii Y r one screen2O and extends over the adjacent end or" the other screen, said plateertcndin` entirely across said trames 2li so that a crock will not beopen between said screens or rrl` have their aggregate length slightlylest than the length ot the inside ot the casina' oo l5. rllhe adjacentends ol the screens also covered by a plate QS secured to one o' saidscreens and extending* aci' t e top o the other. The screens Qt) and 2Qha i chains 2st resting thereon and secured to the screen frame to thcends thcreot. Saic chains are longer than the length ot the screens sothat they lie in slack condition on said screen. lllhile the mesh ofscreens 20 and 22 may be considerably varied. in practice, it hasI beenFound that screen 2O operates ellicicntly with a torty-totlie-inclimesh. while screen 22 operates ellicientlji' vith a twenty-to-the-inchmesh.

Supported upon the casinfiy l is a similar casing; having` boards orcleats QG at its sides evtendinn downwardly al the side ot casing; l5.The casing' Q5 is also i rovidcd with a screen bottom f2.7 and has adisfflfiare'e chute or spout QS at one end disposed above said sievebottom, which disch. chute projects into the end et machine il above thescreen d theieoii. rlhc casina' '225 has angle bm1N 2 9 at ',ts innersides a short distance above the sieve bottoni Qi" and a pluV rality otscreens or screen trainee` are lon 'tudinally slidable thereon, screensextending between said ane-"le bars and having an aggregate lengthsomewhat less than the inside length ot casing` The adjacent ends ot thescreens 8O will also be provid Val with a plate 3l secured to one otsaid end. rPhe casing' 25 has a hopper 3Q adjacent one end and saidcasing` is adapted to bc raised at its end opposite thc discharge chuteQS relative to the casing l5. l? i' this purpose. a screw 3dis providedat cach side ot casino; 25 having` a hand wheel 35 at its lower end andextending` throuejh a nut bracket flo si cured to the side ot casing;vl5, The screw extends through a guide brarkct il? ou the cleat 26 andhas its end proicctine.l into a socket bracket secured to the side et'cas in@F 25. the bracket 38 beingv closed at i so that when said screwis elevate-fl Lhe casing` Q5 will be raised. rl`lie casing` 2 also hasan inner hopper or (iletieciiuf member 39 beneath hopper 32 adapted todirect i'uateriai ont-o the screens 3l). r"

ihe casing; l?) has an angle bracket 40 in one end havinf;` an aperturedoutstanding tinnen. into the aperture of which a pin 4l depending` tronil il (l the trame 3 and preferably to the pivots at' the upper' end oflinks 5.

In the use oi' the present method and apparatus, the starch boards carrythe candy and starch therein ivhich are emptied into the hopper 32, thescreens 30 at this time being removed. The starch passes through thesieve bottom 27 olE casing 25, the candy is retained on said sievebottom and discharged through the spout or chute 28 onto the screen LlWhere it will pass, usual, to the cleaning means of the machine A. Thestarch passes onto the screens 22 and the said screens are reciprocatedlongitudinally and vibrated vertically with the casing l5. lt will beunder stood` that the machine A is running, as is the shaft l. The trame3 therefore is reciprocated and the casing l5 will be reciprocatedtogether with casing 25 through the links a3. As the casing l5reciprocatcs, the rollers 13 move over the waved surfaces 1l and thecasing is thereiiore given a series of -iolts or vertical vibrations.The sieves and 22 will slide back and torth in casing l5.

and bump against the ends thereot' and the chains 2a will be thrownabout on top olf said screen so that the starch will eliiciently besievcd therethrough. The starch passes through the coarser mesh screen22 and then through the iiner mesh screen 20- from which it falls ontothe coarse screen 1.6 and passes therethrough, falling onto the floor orchute 1.7. The clean starch will pass down chute 'LT and be dischargedinto the machine )i through the spout 17 below the screen il. The starchis thus very eiiiciently sicved and screened and continuously deliveredin clean condition to the machine A. All lunips and foreign mattei' inthe starch are removed. Most ot the lumps will be disintegrated on thesievcsbut any hard pieces which are not disintegrated, together with theforeign matter `will remain on said sieves and may periodically beremoved. The machine fr being continuously provided With clean starchoperates more etticiently in the candy malring operation, the starchbeing continuously clean and in tine condition. The depressions made,therefore, in the candy molds are much more perfect than it' the starchcontained lumps and pieces ot foreign matter. rPhe necessity ciperiodically stopping the candy machine to clean out all ot the starchand run the same through a starch cleaning apparatus is thus eliminated.The trame 25 will be elevated, it desired. to give the required speedoi? travel to the candy passing oil' ont sieve bottom 27. v

lt it is desired to use the apparatus merely as a starch cleaner and notalso as a candy separator, the screens which preteraliily Will be aboutone-quarter inch mesh, are placed in casing 25. The starch Will then besieved, the lareer lumps and foreign matter remaining on the sieves BO.The sieves 30 are arranged quite close to the bottom sieve 27 so that agrinding action will be effected on the starch between said sieves.After the operator dumps the candy and starch into the hopper 32 he, asusual, places the empty mold board on the tracks 9 and he will be inconvenient position for this operation.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided aneiiicient method and apparatus for continuously providing` a supply ofclean and iine starch to the candy making machine. It is apparent thatthe same has great utility and produces new and advantageous results, asWell as eliminating a troublesome operation. lt ivill be noted that thestarch is not forced tlirough the sieve by brushes as heretofore. Thebrushes force fine dirt through the sieves which pollutes the starch andcannot easily be separated therefrom.

It fivill, oit course. be understood, that` various changes may be madein the form, details, and arrangement ot the apparatus and in theprocess without departing trom the scope oi" applicants invention,which, generally stated, consists in a device capable ot carrying outthe objects above stated. such as shown and described and set forth inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. rlhe combination with a starch buck having candy and starch sievingmeans therein, of a machine driven by said starch buck and having meansfor receiving candy and starch, means for separating the candy andstarch, means for repeatedly sieving` said starch and cleaning the same,and means for returning the starch to said starch buck. Y

2. The combination Witha starch buck, of a starch cleaning device, meansfor driving the latter from the former, said starch cleaning` devicehaving means movable in tivo directions for sieving said starch, andmeans for returning the sieved starch to said buclg.

3. A starch cleaning machine having in combination, a casing, animper'forate bottom therefor, a plurality of sieves in said casing`above said bottom, means for supporting said sieves on which they arelongitudinally movable, and means for si1nultaneously reciprocating saidcasing longitudinally and vertically.

4i. A starch and candy separating and starch cleaning machine comprisinga casing having a sieve bottom ot comparatively large mesh, a chutebeneath said bottom, a plurality ot screens of much smaller meshsupported in said casing closely adjacentz lill said bottom, saidscreens being arranged for longitudinal movement in said casing, aplurality of screens disposed in said casing for longitudinal movementthereof above said first mentioned screens and of larger mesh than thefirst mentioned screens, and means for longitudinally reciprocating saidcasing and screens.

5. A starch cleaning machine comprising a casing having a sieve bottomof comparatively large mesh, a plurality of sieves disposed in saidcasing closely adjacent said bottom and substantially in one plane, saidsieves being arranged for longitudinal movement in said casing, aplurality of sieves disposed in said casing above said first mentionedsieves and of larger mesh than the same and also arranged forlongitudinal movement in said casing, and a second casing supported onsaid first mentioned easing and having a sieve bottom of substantiallythe same mesh as said first mentioned sieve bottom.

6. A starch cleaning machine comprising a casing having a sieve bottom,a chute extending longitudinally beneath said bottom, means in saidcasing for supporting a plurality of sieves adjacent said bottom, saidsieves being in substantially one plane and longitudinally movable insaid casing, a plurality of sieves disposed in said casing above saidlast mentioned sieves and also disposer` substantially in one plane andarranged for longitudinal movement in said casing, and means forreciprocating said casing and sieves.

7. The structure set forth in claim G, and a casing disposed on top ofsaid first mentioned casing having a sieve bottom, and means for raisingone end of said last meutioned casing relative to said first mentionedcasing.

S. A starch cleaning machine comprising a casing having a sieve bottomand a chute therebeneath, a plurality of vertically spaced andlongitudinally reciprocable sieves in said casing, means forreciprocating said casing longitudinally, and means adjacent the frontand rear of said casing for vibrating the same vertically.

9. The structure set forth injclaim 8, a second casing resting on saidfirst mentioned casing also having a sieve bottom and having a dischargechute at one end thereof above its sieve bottom.

1 0. The structure set forth in claim 3, and a sieve of larger meshabove said sieves extending substantially the full length of .saidcasing, a chute at the end of said last mentioned sieve receivingmaterial from the top thereof, and a chute at the same end of saidbottom and receiving material therefrom.

lli. A starch cleaning machine comprising superposed rectangular casingshaving sieve bottoms, a chute at one end of the upper easing above thesieve bottom thereof, a chute extending beneath the sieve bottom of thelower easing and having a discharge chute at one end disposed below thedischarge chute of the upper casing, a plurality of superposed sievessupported in said lower casing for longitudinal movement relativethereto, means for raising the end of the upper casing opposite itsdischarge chute relative to the lower casing, and means forlongitudinally reciprocating and vertically vibrating both casings.

l2. A starch cleaning machine comprising a rectangular casing, a sievebottom secured thereto, a plurality of sieves supported adjacent saidbottom for sliding movement longitudinally of said casing, the aggregatelength of said sieves being less than the inside length of said casingwhereby said sieves may reciprocate in said casand means for impartingreciprocating movement to said casing and thus to said sieves.

13. rThe structure set forth in claim l2, and chains resting on saidsieves and secured at the ends thereof, said chains being longer thanthe sieves so as to lie slack thereon.

lt. The structure set forth in claim l2, and a plate covering theadjacent ends of said sieves and being secured to one of said ends.

l5. rlhe combination with a starch buck having a sieving means thereforand reciprocating means for said sieve, of a starch cleaning devicehaving means for separating the candy and starch, means for deliveringthe candy to said sieving means of said buck, means for cleaning thestarch, and means for continuously delivering the starch to said buckbelow the said sieving means therein, said device beinff operated fromsaid buck.

1G. The combination with a starch buck having a sieving means therein,of a starch cleaning means comprising al casing reciprocated from saidstarch buck having an iniperforate bottom., a chut-e leading from saidbottom into said starch buch below said sieving means, and a starchsieving means in said casing delivering sieved starch to said bottom andchute.

17. 'lhe structure set forth iu claim 16. a comparatively largo meshsieve adjacent the top of said easing, and a chute leading from the topof said latter sieve into said starch buck above the sieving meanstherein.

18. A starch cleaning machine comprising a casing having an imperforatebottom therein, a plurality of sieves disposed substantially in oneplane supported above said bottom for longitudinal movement in saidcasing, said sieves having an aggregate length less than the insidelength of said casing, and means for reciprocating said casing wherebysaid seves will be reoprocated agaqnst each other and. the ends of saidceslng.

19. A Starch cleaning machine compris- 5 ing a easing having anmperforate bottom therein, a sevng means supported for longitudinalmovement in said easing above said bottom and means for simultaneouslyreclprooetlng suld casing longltudmally and vlbratng the samevertically. 10

In testimony whereof I afx my signa ture.

FRANK M. SCHULER.

